How Hospital Registration (挂号) Works in China
Seeing a doctor in China starts with 挂号 (guàhào) — registering for an appointment. Unlike walk-in systems elsewhere, nearly all public hospitals require you to book a numbered slot before you are seen. The whole process is increasingly done on your phone, and once you know the flow, a routine visit takes far less time than it first appears.
The Standard Visit Flow
Every outpatient visit follows the same five steps:
- 挂号 (Register) — book your slot online or at a kiosk; you pay a registration fee (挂号费) at this stage.
- 候诊 (Wait) — go to the department's waiting area; screens show the queue numbers being called.
- 就诊 (See the doctor) — when your number is called, enter the consultation room.
- 缴费 (Pay) — after the visit, pay for any prescriptions or tests the doctor orders, via the hospital app, a self-service kiosk, or the payment counter.
- 取药 / 检查 (Pick up medicine / get tests) — collect drugs at the pharmacy or proceed to the lab/imaging department with your payment receipt.
Most hospitals now let you do steps 1 and 4 entirely on your phone, so a simple visit can involve almost no queuing at counters.
How to Book an Appointment
Hospital WeChat official accounts (微信公众号) are the most common method. Search the hospital's name on WeChat, follow its official account, bind your identity (real-name verification), and book under 预约挂号. You can also pay, view reports, and get e-invoices there.
City platforms: Beijing uses the 114 platform (114yygh.com) and 京医通; Shanghai uses the 申康医联预约平台; many cities have their own (e.g., 12320 health hotlines can also book in some regions). The aggregator 微医 (guahao.com) covers hospitals nationwide.
On-site kiosks in the hospital lobby accept ID cards and bank cards for same-day leftover slots — useful as a backup, but popular departments sell out online days ahead.
Booking windows are typically 7 days in advance, with new slots released at a fixed time each morning (each hospital publishes its own release time — check the hospital's account page). Set an alarm if you need a popular specialist.
普通号 vs 专家号 vs 特需号
- 普通号 (Regular): cheapest (often ¥10–50 registration fee), junior or attending doctors, fine for common issues and first visits.
- 专家号 (Specialist): senior doctors — 副主任医师 and 主任医师. Higher fee (often ¥60–300+ depending on title and city), harder to get.
- 特需门诊 (VIP/Special-needs clinic): longer consultations, fewer patients per session, highest fees, mostly self-pay even with insurance.
- 国际医疗部 (International department): many top hospitals (e.g., Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Ruijin Hospital in Shanghai) run international wings with English-speaking staff — much more expensive, but the practical choice if you don't speak Chinese.
For a first visit with an unclear problem, start with a 普通号; the doctor will refer you to the right specialist if needed.
Foreigners: Registering with a Passport
Foreigners can register with a passport (护照) instead of a Chinese ID card. On apps and kiosks, choose 护照 as the ID type and enter your passport number — the name must match your passport exactly. Some smaller hospitals' systems handle foreign passports poorly; in that case, register at the manual counter (人工窗口) with your passport in hand. International departments are the smoothest option for non-Chinese speakers.
Using Health Insurance (医保)
If you are enrolled in China's basic medical insurance (see our insurance explainer), activate your electronic insurance credential (电子医保凭证) in the 国家医保服务平台 app — a QR code (医保码) you show at registration and payment instead of a physical card. Insured patients pay only their co-pay portion at checkout; the insurance fund settles the rest directly with the hospital (direct settlement, 直接结算). Without insurance, you pay the full amount and settle later through your own insurer if you have one.
Cancellations and No-Shows
You can usually cancel (退号) or reschedule through the same channel you booked, up to a cutoff time (often the day before or a few hours ahead). Repeated no-shows can get your account temporarily blocked from booking at that hospital — cancel properly if your plans change.
Frequently asked questions
Can I just walk in without booking?
Some hospitals keep a small number of same-day slots for on-site registration, and emergency departments always accept walk-ins. For popular departments and specialists, same-day walk-in is rarely possible — book ahead.
What should I bring to the appointment?
Your ID (passport for foreigners), your phone with the hospital app/WeChat account, any prior test results or imaging (bring the films or digital files), and a list of current medications.
Is the registration fee refundable if I cancel?
Yes, if you cancel before the cutoff time the fee is refunded to your original payment method automatically in most systems.
Sources
- National Healthcare Security Administration (国家医疗保障局): https://www.nhsa.gov.cn
- National Health Commission (国家卫生健康委员会): http://www.nhc.gov.cn
- Beijing 114 appointment platform: http://www.114yygh.com
- WeDoctor appointment platform (微医): https://www.guahao.com